Fire extinguisher



March 3, 1931. pHlsTER 1,794,982

FIRE EXTINGUISHER Filed April 21, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR.

A TTORNE Y.

March 3, 1931. PHlSTER 1,794,982

FIRE EXTINGUISHER Filed April 21, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A TTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 3, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicr.

AIIB ERT B. PHIST EB, OF FORT THOMAS, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNOR TO THE PHISTER MANU- FACTURING COMPANY, OF CINCINNATI, O HI O, A CORPORATION OF. OHIO FIRE EXTINGUISH'ER Application 'filed April '21,

My invention relates to what are known as chemical fire extinguishers which provide a supply of extinguishing material such as carbon tetra-chloride, soda mixtures, or in- Qlcombustible gases, when ejected on burning or smouldering parts, extinguish, or smother the tire. My improvements relate to the constructive features of an extinguisher adapted for such a purpose, particularly to the valve discharge controlling means.

A fire-extinguisher embodying the present invention is Well adapted for small installations, such as are required in aeroplanes, mo-

tor vehicles launches, etc. 7

It is one ob ect-of my nvention to provide an extlnguisher whr'ch does not incorporate a pump in combination, but which depends for its air supply on an outside source of compressed air. It is further my object in connection with my improvements to provide an independently mounted hand wheel which is operatively connected to two valve stems, one, preferably of the needlevalve type, controlling the access of air from the air chamber into the'fiuid compartment, and the other preferably of the disc'type controlling the discharge of liquid from the extinguisher. As I provide a hard metallic pointon the needle valve and a soft disc on the liquid discharge valve, it is my object to provide an operative connection which will act as a lever so that one seated valve will act as a fulcrum to force the other valve onto its seat.

Referring to the drawings in which I have illustrated an extinguisher in which preferred forms of my improvements are incorporated: i

' Figure 1 is a top plan view of the assembly. Fig. 1 is a sectional View taken as indicated at line 1 of Fig. 1.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the assembly shown in Figure 1.

Figure 8 is a top plan view of the extinguisher cap. a

Figure at is a front elevation of the cap shown in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a side elevation of the cap shown in Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a bottom plan view of the cap shown in Figures 3 5 1926. Serial No. 103,612.

preferably by the space between the walls of the body and the walls of the inner air chamber, excepting a passage -5 formed in the cap. The cap has a valve seat 6 forming part of the enclosing walls of the passage 5 and a needle valve 7 is mounted so as to seat on this valve seat. By unseating the needle valve,

air from the inner air chamber will pass to the outer fluid chamber. The cap has a discharge v-alve 8 for fluid, which valve has a seat 9 and a disc 10, which preferably is made of resilient material or soft metal and is mounted on a stem 11. The discharge valve is connected with a tubular member 12 which extends from the cap down into close proximity to the bottom of the fluid chamber so that when air is introduced into the fluid chamber upon the release of the needle valve,

the fluid will be forced up through thetuhular member and out through the discharge valve, provided the discharge valve is opened.

-As a means of controlling the operation of the needle valve and the discharge valve 1 have provided a lever 13 which is adapted to control the movement of both valves. The lever has a socket 14 in one end which receives somewhat freely the stem 15 of the needle valve. A pin 16 maybe used as a pivot for the end of the stem, The lever has another socket 17 at its other end which receives the stem 11 of the discharge valve. The stem is held in the socket 17' preferably by another pin 19. Through the central portion of the lover a shaft 20 is extended preferably with left hand threads 21 by which the rotation of the shaft impart-s movement to the central portion of the lever. The shaft 20 is secured in a right hand threaded socket 22 in a boss 23, which is formed in the cap. The outer end of the shaft is provided preferably with a hand wheel 2a or other suitable means for imparting movement to the shaft.

It will be apparent that other types of connection between the shaft 20 and the lever may be provided without departing from the mechanical principle involved. The use of right and left hand threads forms a convenient means of connecting the shaft with the lever so that a slight rotary movement imparted to the shaft 20 will result in a complete unseating of the needle valve and the discharge valve.

The desiredcontrol of the operation of the extinguisher is first to admit air from the air chamber to the liquid compartmentand then to open the discharge valve so that the contents of the liquid chamber may be discharged. Inversely when the extinguisher is to be shut 'oli' it is desirable to first shut off the air and then to close the discharge valve. This cycle of operation is accomplished by my novel structure in a very satisfactory manner. It is, of'course, essential for the mechanical operation of the lever that there be a little play between the left hand threads in the lever and the left hand threads on the shaft/or that'there' be sufficient resilhence in the lever so that-when one of the valves seats, it will act as a fulcrum with the shaft imparting the slight further movement to the central part of the lever necessary to cause the other valve to be moved tightly against its scat. Usually in normal operation the needle valve being of hard metal'will seat first and act as a fulcrum to move the soft metal. disc into seating position. However, the reverse may occur, it being only necessary for accomplishing the result that whichever one of the valves seats first it will act as a fulcrum for the lever to seat the other.

Thus wear on either of the valves is compensated for, and firm seating of the valves is insured for a longtime. If, however, there is such wear that new valves are required, my construction provides a simple opportunity of replacement which will be apparent.

" container a plug 26 in the cap over the liquid compartment may be unscrewed and a new supply of liquid poured into the outer chamber. As a further convenience I also preferably mount a pressure gauge 27 which is connected through the cap with the air chamber; I

The essential feature of my invention is the valve control mechanism in combination with an extinguisher having a chamber for compressed gas and a chamber for extin guishing chemicals. While in the foregoing description I have referred to the use of air under pressure, it should be noted that I may also use compressed gasses such as carbon dioxide with equally satisfactory results.

' The mechanism connecting the two valve stems is so arranged with relation to the independent valve stems that which ever valve closes first will provide an abutment which will fix the position of the connecting mechcapped by a common head which carries the valves; and the valves preferably are formed independently of each other and actuated by a common hand-wheel, or rotary member. Also, the valves are connected by an inter; acting'lever device of such nature that pres'- sure will be transmitted from the valve which closes first to the other valve, and, ordinarily, both valves will'be held closed under substantially equal, pressure. In the illustration given, a lever is employed which has extending transversely through'it a tapped opening which is engaged by a thread with which the stem of the hand-wheel is provided.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearnes's of understanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understoodtherefrom, but the appended claims should be construed as broadly as permissible, in view of theprior art.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is i 1. In combination a receptacle'for a supply of liquid,a chamber for retaining a charge of compressed gas, a reciprocating discha'rge valve having a stem for the liquid receptacle, a port between the receptacle and the chamber, a reciprocating gas valve having a stem disposed in said port, and means for actuating said valves comprising a levei mounted so as to carry in interspaced position on opposite arms of said lever both of said .valve stems, and means for moving said lever, and said valves disposedwith' relation to the lever so that either of saidvalves in seating position will act asa fulcrum for said lever to move the other valve to seating position. v

2. In combination a receptacle-for a supr ply of liquid, a chamber for retaining a charge of compressed gas, a reciprocating discharge valve having a stem for the liquid receptacle, a port between the receptacle and the chamber, a reciprocating gas valve having a stem, disposed in said port, and means for actuating said valves comprising a lever mounted so as to carry in interspaced position on opposite arms of said lever both of said valve stems, and means for moving said lever, and said gas valve disposed with relation to the lever so that in seating position it will act as a fulcrum for the lever to move the discharge valve to closed position.

3. In combination a receptacle for a supply of liquid, achamber for retaining a charge of compressed gas, a reciprocating discharge valve having a stem for the liquid receptacle, a reciprocating gas valve having a stem, for said gas chamber, a port between the gas chamber and the liquid receptacle, and said gas valve disposed in said port, and an independently mounted member adapted to actuate both of said valve stems, said valve actuating member mounted so as to rock at approximately right angles to said valve stems, and actuating means for moving said valve actuating member reciprocatingly in alignment with said valve stems.

4. In a fire extinguisher, a container for extin uishing material, a compression chamher, a valve between said chamber and said container, an independent valve for said container for controlling the discharge of extinguishing material therefrom, stems for both of said valves, means for reciprocating said valve stems comprising a manually actuative member, a connection between said actuative member and said valve stems, said connection comprising a centrally mounted rocking lever, and each of said valve stems providing a fulcrum for said. lever.

In combination in a fire-extinguisher: a liquid-chamber; a pressure-chamber; a common head for said chambers; a pressure-control valve-chamber carried by said head communicating with both of said chambers; a reciprocable pressure-valve in said, valvechamber; a liquid-control valve-chamber carried by said head intercepting a discharge passage from the liquid-chamber; a reciprocable liquid-control valve in said last-mentioned valve-chamber; and common actuating means for said valves including an interacting lever-device connected with said valves and actuating means therefor.

6. A fire-extinguisher as specified in claim 5, in which the last-mentioned actuating means includes a rotary member.

7. A fire-extinguisher as specified in claim 5, in which the reciprocating valves are spaced laterally from each other and in which said last-mentioned actuating means is a rotary stem.

8. A fire-extinguisher as specified in claim 5, in which the lever-device comprises a lever having a threaded passage therethrough and in which such lever is actuated by a threaded rotary stem.

9. A fire-extinguisher as specified in claim 5, in which the reciprocating valves are spaced apart in parallel relation and attached to a common lever, and in which said common-lever has connection centrally with and is actuated by a rotary stem connected with said head.

10. A fire extinguisher as specified in claim 5, in which the last-mentioned actuating means comprises a rotary stem having connections with said common head, and with a lever of said lever-device, said connections including a screw connection and said stem projecting beyond the periphery of said head and carrying at its outer end an actuating handle.

11. In combination in a fire-extinguisher a liquid-chamber; a pressure-chamber, a common head for said chambers; a pressure-control valve-chamber carried by said head communicating with both of said chambers; a reciprocable pressure-valve in said valvechamber; a liquid-control valve-chamber carried by said head intercepting a discharge passage from the liquid-chamber; a reciprocable liquid-control valve in said last-mentioned valvechamber; and common actuating means for said valves comprising a lever-device and connections, in which each valve is directly attached to a lever of said lever-device and in which re-active force is transmitted from each valve to the other through the medium of the lever-device when the valves are seated, and a rotary stem connected with said common head and which has threaded connection with and serves to actuate the lever to which the valve is attached.

ALBERT B. PHISTER. 

